Buckle for connecting first and second straps

ABSTRACT

A buckle for connecting first and second straps ( 6, 7 ) includes a buckle body ( 1 ) that has, with respect to the longitudinal direction ( 5 ) of the straps ( 6, 7 ) to be connected, left and right side parts ( 11, 12 ) and first and second cross bars ( 2, 3 ) extending between the left and right side parts ( 11, 12 ) transverse to the longitudinal direction ( 5 ) of the straps ( 6, 7 ) to be connected and the buckle body has a movable middle bar ( 4 ) that extends transverse to the longitudinal direction ( 5 ) of the straps ( 6, 7 ) to be connected and that is supported so that it can move relative to the left and right side parts ( 11, 12 ) in the longitudinal direction ( 5 ) of the straps ( 6, 7 ) to be connected. The middle bar ( 4 ) rests on resting bars ( 13   a,    13   b ) of the side parts ( 11, 12 ). A bent support bar ( 16   a,    16   b ) extends from each of the resting bars ( 13   a,    13   b ), wherein the support bars each have a section lying in front of the respective end faces of the middle bar ( 4 ) and a section with a cutout ( 19   a,    19   b ) into which the respective end of the middle bar ( 4 ) projects, wherein this section faces toward the resting bar ( 13   a,    13   b ) from which the support bar extends.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Austrian Patent application No. A 1794/2008, filed Nov. 19, 2008, and European Patent Application No. 09011303.6, filed Sep. 3, 2009, both of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a buckle for connecting first and second straps, wherein this buckle comprises a buckle body that has left and right side parts with respect to the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected and first and second cross bars running transverse to the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected between the left and right side parts and wherein this buckle comprises a movable middle bar extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected between the left and right side parts, wherein this middle bar is supported so that it can move relative to the left and right side parts in the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected, wherein the middle bar rests on resting bars of the side parts.

2. Description of Related State of the Art

For connecting two straps, wherein the length of at least one strap is adjustable, buckles with fixed cross bars are known. Such buckles are also designated as tri-glide buckles or also as ladder-lock buckles (especially if more than three cross bars are provided).

It is further already known to arrange a middle cross bar that is designated below as a middle bar so that it can move relative to a buckle body in the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected. The holding force against the pulling out of the length-adjustable strap is therefore increased. In the case of such a known construction, the middle bar made from metal rests on, on both sides, resting bars of the buckle body similarly made from metal. Side guide bars that are bent toward the side of the buckle body on which the middle bar rests on the resting bars are adjacent to the resting bars, so that they point upward at an angle. In the guide bars, window cutouts are formed into which angled end sections of the middle bar project. The angles of the middle bar are here directed opposite the angles of the guide bars. Therefore, the middle bar is held in the window cutouts so that it can move in the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected but is held in the guide bars secured from being pulled out from the window cutouts. In the case of this known buckle, in order to ensure that the middle bar does not fall out from the window cutouts of the guide bars, the tolerances for the construction of the buckle must be relatively small. The bent end sections of the middle bar here lead to additional production complexity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a buckle of the type noted above in which a reliable support of the middle bar is achieved and which can be produced economically.

This is realized according to the invention in that a bent support bar extends from the resting bars, wherein this support bar has a section lying in front of each end face of the middle bar and a section with a cutout in which the respective end of the middle bar projects, and this section faces toward the resting bar from which the support bar extends.

In the case of a buckle according to the invention, a bent support bar extends from the resting bars for the middle bar. This support bar has a section lying in front of the adjacent end side of the middle bar, wherein this section is used as a stop for the middle bar against a shift of the middle bar in its axial direction, and this support bar further has a section that points in the direction toward the resting bar from which the support bar extends and has a cutout into which the respective end of the middle bar projects. This cutout extends in the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected and its ends are used as stops for the middle bar, in order to limit the ability of the middle bar to move in the longitudinal direction of the straps to be connected.

Therefore, with the ability for simple production, a reliable holding of the middle bar on the buckle body can be achieved.

Advantageously, the cutouts holding the ends of the middle bar extend from the edge of the support bar running in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the straps to be connected. This edge is directed toward the resting bar from which the support bar extends and rests on the resting bar or has a spacing from the resting bar that is less than the thickness of the middle bar measured perpendicular to the surface of the resting bar on which the middle bar lies, so that the middle bar cannot be guided through the gap between the edge of the support bar and the resting bar.

Advantageously, the buckle body of the buckle according to the invention can be formed by a bent plate provided with corresponding cutouts.

The middle bar is advantageously formed in the shape of a flat plate.

In order to prevent undesired pulling of the length-adjustable strap from the buckle body, in the case of preferred embodiments of the invention, it can be provided that the buckle has at least one elastic biasing element that biases the middle bar in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction. Through the biasing applied by the elastic biasing element, the strap wrapped around the middle bar is pressed against one of the cross bars, also without having to be pulled on the strap. This can thus be used, first, for preventing the strap from accidentally being pulled from the buckle body in the unbiased state. Furthermore, through corresponding dimensioning of the elastic biasing element, the holding forces produced by clamping the strap between the middle bar and the cross bar are generally increased, that is, also in the state in which it is pulled on the strap. A coil spring, for example, can be used as the biasing element. The elastic biasing element is favorably arranged within one of the bent support bars. Especially preferred embodiments of the invention provide that, within each of the bent support bars, there is at least one elastic biasing element.

The buckle can have, as shown farther below, a single buckle body on which two straps are attached. Alternatively, however, a two-part or multi-part construction of the buckle is also conceivable. Thus it can be provided, e.g., that the buckle has an additional buckle body that can be connected detachably to the buckle body with the bent support bars by a connection device, advantageously without a tool. Here, without a tool is to be understood that the connection device can be activated by hand, that is, without the use of a tool, in order to disconnect from each other the buckle bodies connected to each other and/or to reconnect them to each other. In the case of such two-part or multi-part buckles, it is then preferably provided that one of the straps to be connected to each other is mounted directly on the buckle body and the other of the straps to be connected is mounted directly on the additional buckle body. The attachment of this strap of the additional buckle body on the buckle body is then performed by the connection of the buckle body to the additional buckle body by the connection device. In the case of these variants, preferred constructions provide that the connection device has a latch device for the detachable latching of the additional buckle body with the buckle body. The elastic biasing element noted above biases the middle bar preferably in a direction pointing away from the additional buckle body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional advantages and details of the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Shown in the figures are:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a buckle according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail A from FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view of the front side of the buckle according to FIG. 1, wherein the straps connected by the buckle are indicated schematically by dashed lines,

FIG. 4 is a view of the reverse side of the buckle according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is an end-side view of this first embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a section along the line B-B from FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail C from FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a section along the line D-D from FIG. 5,

FIG. 9 is a front view of a second embodiment according to the invention, wherein the buckle is formed in two parts,

FIG. 10 is the section E-E from FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a perspective diagram of the embodiment according to FIG. 9,

FIG. 12 is a back view of the buckle body of the embodiment from FIG. 9, and

FIG. 13 is a back view of the additional buckle body of the embodiment according to FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment for a buckle according to the invention is explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

The buckle of the first embodiment is used for connecting the straps 6, 7 that are shown in FIG. 3 only by dashed lines and that extend starting from the buckle in a longitudinal direction 5 (strap 6) or against this longitudinal direction 5 (strap 7). The buckle has a buckle body 1 made from one piece with a first and a second cross bar 2, 3. A middle bar 4 that can move to a limited extent in the longitudinal direction 5 is held on the buckle body 1—with respect to the longitudinal direction 5 in the region between the first and the second cross bar 2, 3.

The first strap 6 is guided around the first cross bar 2, wherein, for attaching on the first cross bar 2, a loop is formed by stitching 8 that is indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 3. The second strap is fed from the opposite side underneath the second cross bar 3 and the middle bar 4, guided around the middle bar 4 and through the intermediate space 9 between the middle bar 4 and the second cross bar 3 and further fed back underneath the second cross bar 3. The length of the second strap 7 is determined according to the overlap of the end 10 of the second strap 7 with the section of the strap 7 extending toward the buckle.

The first cross bar 2, second cross bar 3, and middle bar 4 extend transverse to the longitudinal direction 5 of the straps 6, 7.

The first and second cross bars 2, 3 extend between right and left side parts 11, 12 of the buckle body 1 with respect to the longitudinal direction 5. The middle bar 4 crosses over the free space between the side parts 11, 12 and lies with its two end sections on surfaces of resting bars 13 a, 13 b of the right and left side parts 11, 12 directed toward the front side of the buckle.

The resting bars 13 a, 13 b have a smooth construction and their surfaces on which the middle bar 4 lies, lie in a common plane.

The resting bars 13 a, 13 b are considered not only the sections of the buckle body 1 on which the middle bar 4 actually lies in its different possible displacement positions, but also its imaginary, straight-line projections in and opposite the longitudinal direction 5 up to the respective edge of the buckle body 1. For illustration, the imaginary lines by which the resting bars 13 a, 13 b are delimited by the cross bars 2, 3 are shown with dashed lines in FIG. 4.

Support bars 16 a, 16 b extend from the edges 14, 15 of the flat resting bars 13 a, 13 b extending away from each other in the longitudinal direction 5 of the straps 6, 7 to be connected, wherein these support bars have a bent profile viewed in cross section (cf. FIG. 6, the section line B-B of this cross section runs transverse to the longitudinal direction 5). In a first section, the support bars 16 a, 16 b extend away from the plane of the surfaces of the resting bars 13 a, 13 b on which the middle bar 4 lies, wherein they extend in the region next to the end faces 17 a, 17 b of the middle bar 4. Through the further bent profile, they extend in connection to a peak point 18, in turn, in the direction toward the respective resting bar 13 a, 13 b from whose edge 14, 15 they project. These sections extending in the direction toward the respective resting bar 13 a, 13 b have cutouts 19 a, 19 b starting from their ends extending in the longitudinal direction 5 in which the two ends of the middle bar 4 project. The edges 20, 21 limiting the respective cutout 19 a, 19 b in the longitudinal direction 5 form stops for the middle bar 4, in order to limit the range of movement of the middle bar 4 in and against the longitudinal direction 5. The edge 22 of the cutout 19 a, 19 b extending parallel to the longitudinal direction 5 forms a guide for the middle bar 4 that limits the lift of the middle bar 4 from the respective resting bar 13 a, 13 b. Here, only play sufficient for the movement of the middle bar 4 must be provided. Advantageously, this play measured perpendicular to the resting bar 13 a, 13 b is less than 2 mm, especially preferred less than 1 mm.

In the illustrated embodiment, the support bars 16 a, 16 b have a continuous, arc-shaped profile viewed in cross section. It would also be conceivable and possible, for example, that the support bars 16 a, 16 b are connected to the respective resting bar 13 a, 13 b by a more or less sharp kink. The section lying in front of the respective end face of the middle bar 4 could then have a flat construction and this section could be connected by a more or less sharp bend to the section having the cutout 19 a, 19 b. As a whole, in turn, bent support bars 16 a, 16 b are formed whose free ends each point toward the resting bar 13 a, 13 b from which the support bars extend.

In this embodiment, the first cross bar 2 has a middle, bent region 23, in order to form a grip element on which the buckle body 1 can be gripped and tilted, in order to pull the second strap 7 further from the buckle and to increase the length of the second strap 7.

Advantageously, the buckle body 1 is made from metal. For the middle bar 4, a construction from metal is also preferred.

The buckle body 1 can advantageously be formed from a plate on which the corresponding separating and shaping operations are performed. For forming the support bars 16 a, 16 b, the plate is shaped with the already formed cutouts 19 a, 19 b by bending.

The thickness of the plate is here advantageously greater than 1 mm, especially preferred greater than 1.5 mm.

The thickness of the middle bar 4 is advantageously greater than 1 mm, especially preferred greater than 1.5 mm.

For example, the buckle body 1 and the middle bar 4 could have a thickness of 2 mm.

In principle, however, it would also be conceivable and possible to form the buckle body 1 from several parts connected rigidly to each other.

In other words, the buckle body 1 could also be described such that it has a main section lying in a plane with a window cutout that is crossed over by the displaceable middle bar 4, wherein the bent support bars 16 a, 16 b extend from this main section on both sides. Furthermore, a bent region 23 for forming a grip part can be formed from this flat main section.

In principle, however, it would also be conceivable and possible to form the buckle body 1 with more than two fixed cross bars 2, 3 and/or to provide more than one middle bar 4 that is held on the buckle body 1 so that it can move in the described way.

In the scope of this publication, when straps are mentioned, belts and other flexible strip-shaped parts should also be included, especially also load-bearing, holding, and securing belts.

In the second embodiment of the invention according to FIGS. 9 to 13, essential parts are discussed analogous to the first embodiment, so that, in this respect, the above description of the first embodiment could be referenced. Below we will essentially discuss the differences between the first and the second embodiment.

A first difference lies in that, in the case of the second embodiment, the buckle has a buckle body 1 formed according to the invention and, in addition, an additional buckle body 24. These two buckle bodies 1 and 24 can be connected detachably to each other by a connection device explained as an example farther below in detail. The first strap 6 is here attached, in contrast to the first embodiment, not on the buckle body 1, but instead on the additional buckle body 24. For this purpose, the latter has a third cross bar 31, in order to be able to wrap the first strap 6 through the opening 32. The first strap 6 can be fixed on the additional buckle body 24, e.g., by stitching 8 analogous to the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the strap 7 to be connected to the first strap 6 by the buckle is attached to the buckle body 1, also like in the first embodiment. Analogous to the first embodiment, the second strap 7 is fed from the opposite side underneath the second cross bar 3 and the middle bar 4, guided around the middle bar 4 and through the intermediate space 9 between the middle bar 4 and the second cross bar 3, and furthermore fed back underneath the second cross bar. The length of the second strap 7 is determined according to the overlap of the end 10 of the second strap 7.

In order to prevent undesired loosening or displacement of the second strap 7 in the non-tensioned state and/or to generally increase the holding forces that are holding the second strap 7 on the buckle body 1, there can be at least one elastic biasing element 25 that biases the middle bar 4 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction 5, as shown in the second embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, it involves two such elastic biasing elements 25. These are each arranged within the bent support bars 16 a and 16 b. As the elastic biasing element 25, all of the suitably elastic bodies known in the state of the art can be used. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the elastic biasing elements 25 involves a coil spring. The one end of the elastic biasing element is fixed in the respective bent support bar 16 a or 16 b. On the opposite end of the elastic biasing element 25 lies the middle bar 4, so that the middle bar 4 is here biased or spring-loaded in a direction 33 parallel to the longitudinal direction 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the biasing is guided in the direction toward the second cross bar 3, so that the strap 7 is clamped by the biasing of the biasing element 25 between the middle bar 4 and the second cross bar 3. FIG. 10 shows the section E-E from FIG. 9 in which the position of the elastic biasing element is to be seen especially well in the support bar 16 a. The support bars 16 a, 16 b, as well as the resting bars 13 a and 13 b and the cutouts 19 a and 19 b, can be constructed as shown in the first embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. This also applies especially for all of the details explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. Deviating from the first embodiment, notches 26 are provided in the second embodiment in the support bars 16 a and 16 b. However, these differences do not change the general construction and function of the right and left side parts 11 and 12 or the support bars 16 a and 16 b. The notches 26 can also be eliminated accordingly, so that the side parts 11 and 12 could be constructed up to the additional biasing elements in their interaction with the middle bar 4 and the cross bars 1 and 2 like in the first embodiment. Accordingly, in the first embodiment, a biasing of the middle bar 4 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction 5 could also be performed, if the elastic biasing elements 25 of the second embodiment are integrated there.

As already explained, the buckle of the second embodiment according to the invention has a two-part construction. It has an additional buckle body 24 that can be connected detachably to the buckle body 1 by a connection device, advantageously without a tool. Such two-part buckles, and also buckles with more than two parts, are basically known in the state of the art in a plurality of constructions. The embodiment shown here shows only one of many possible variants. The same applies for the connection device for connecting the buckle body 1 and the additional buckle body 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection device involves a latch device for the detachable latching of the additional buckle body 24 with the buckle body 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection device or latch device comprises a female plug-in part 29 in which a male plug-in part 28 can be fixed detachably. For this purpose, the male plug-in part 28 has shoulders 30, as to be seen especially in FIG. 13, which are in active connection in the inserted state according to FIGS. 9 and 11 with counterparts of the activation lever 27 not shown in detail here, so that the two buckle bodies 1 and 24 are latched to each other in the connected position according to FIGS. 9 and 11. By activating the activation lever 27, especially by hand, the additional buckle body 24 can then be pulled out from the buckle body 1, so that the two buckle bodies, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, are separated from each other. Such buckle connections are known, as already mentioned, in a plurality of embodiments, so that here no additional explanations appear necessary. In principle, the invention can be combined together with all of the possible, known connection devices or embodiments of buckles with two or more parts. The variant shown here is only one example. In particular, it is to be noted that it does not absolutely have to be provided that the male plug-in part 28 is arranged on the additional buckle body 24 and the female plug-in part 29 is arranged on the buckle body 1. A reverse arrangement is also definitely possible. In summary, it is also noted that in the second embodiment, both the buckle body 1 and also the additional buckle body 24 are constructed as components shaped from sheet metal or plates. In this way, the buckles according to the invention can be produced simply and economically. In particular, metal sheets can also be processed that are subsequently not to be hardened, as is the case, e.g., in water-resistant steels. Through the cold forming occurring during the bending of the sheets, a corresponding hardening process is achieved just during the bending. In conclusion, however, it should be noted that the invention naturally can be implemented not only in the form of buckle bodies made from bent plates.

LEGEND FOR THE REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   -   1 Buckle body     -   2 First cross bar     -   3 Second cross bar     -   4 Middle bar     -   5 Longitudinal direction     -   6 First strap     -   7 Second strap     -   8 Stitching     -   9 Intermediate space     -   10 End     -   11 Right side part     -   12 Left side part     -   13 a, 13 b Resting bar     -   14 Edge     -   15 Edge     -   16 a, 16 b Support bar     -   17 a, 17 b End face     -   18 Peak point     -   19 a, 19 b Cutout     -   20 Edge     -   21 Edge     -   22 Edge     -   23 Region     -   24 Additional buckle body     -   25 Elastic biasing element     -   26 Notch     -   27 Activation lever     -   28 Male plug-in part     -   29 Female plug-in part     -   30 Shoulder     -   31 Third cross bar     -   32 Opening     -   33 Direction 

1. Buckle for connecting first and second straps (6, 7), comprising: a buckle body (1) that has, with respect to a longitudinal direction (5) of the straps (6, 7) to be connected, left and right side parts (11, 12) and first and second cross bars (2, 3) extending between the left and right side parts (11, 12) transverse to the longitudinal direction (5) of the straps (6, 7) to be connected, and a movable middle bar (4) extending transverse to the longitudinal direction (5) of the straps (6, 7) to be connected, the middle bar is supported movably by the left and right side parts (11, 12) in the longitudinal direction (5) of the straps (6, 7) to be connected, the middle bar (4) rests on resting bars (13 a, 13 b) of the side parts (11, 12), a bent support bar (16 a, 16 b) extends from each of the resting bars (13 a, 13 b), and each of the support bars has a section lying in front of a respective end face of the middle bar (4) and a section with a cutout (19 a, 19 b) into which a respective end of the middle bar (4) projects, and the section faces toward the resting bar (13 a, 13 b) from which the support bar extends.
 2. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the cutout (19 a, 19 b) extends from a free edge of the support bar (16 a, 16 b) that extends in a direction of the longitudinal extent (5) of the straps (6, 7) to be connected and is directed toward the resting bar (13 a, 13 b) from which the support bar (16 a, 16 b) extends.
 3. Buckle according to claim 2, wherein an edge of the support bar (16 a, 16 b), from which the cutout (19 a, 19 b) extends, contacts, on both sides of the cutout (19 a, 19 b), the resting bar (13 a, 13 b), from which the support bar (16 a, 16 b) extends, or has a spacing from the resting bar (13 a, 13 b) that is less than a thickness of the middle bar (4).
 4. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein surfaces of the resting bars (13 a, 13 b) on which the middle bar (4) rests, lie in a common plane.
 5. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the support bars (16 a, 16 b) have an arc-shaped profile viewed in cross section.
 6. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the buckle body (1) is formed from a bent plate.
 7. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the middle bar (4) is formed from a flat plate.
 8. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the buckle has at least one elastic biasing element (25) that biases the middle bar (4) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (5).
 9. Buckle according to claim 8, wherein the elastic biasing element (25) is a coil spring.
 10. Buckle according to claim 8, wherein the elastic biasing element (25) is arranged within one of the bent support bars (16 a, 16 b).
 11. Buckle according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the elastic biasing elements (25) is arranged within each of the bent support bars (16 a, 16 b).
 12. Buckle according to claim 1, wherein the buckle has at least one additional buckle body (24) that can be detachably connected to the buckle body (1) by at least one connection device.
 13. Buckle according to claim 12, wherein the additional buckle body (24) is detachably connectable without a tool to the buckle body (1) by the at least one connection device.
 14. Buckle according to claim 12, wherein the connection device has a latch device for the detachable latching of the additional buckle body (24) with the buckle body (1).
 15. Buckle according to claim 8, wherein the buckle has at least one additional buckle body (24) that can be detachably connected to the buckle body (1) by at least one connection device, and the elastic biasing element (25) biases the middle bar (4) in a direction (33) directed away from the additional buckle body (24). 